


i was in love with the place, in my mind

by thundercracker



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Autistic Frisk, Belowtale AU, Gen, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Nonbinary Frisk, Nonverbal Frisk, Undertale Spoilers, nonbinary chara
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-26
Updated: 2015-12-26
Packaged: 2018-05-09 10:44:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,086
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5536952
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thundercracker/pseuds/thundercracker
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Living with the Dreemurrs has been nice, but Chara knows they and Frisk need to move on before they get too attached. (It's already too late.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	i was in love with the place, in my mind

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Birthmas to my dear pal Tumblr User Belowtale, creator of the Belowtale AU! 
> 
> I recommend checking out the Belowtale blog for more information, but most importantly this is an AU in which Chara and a young Frisk are found by the Dreemurr family near New Home! The Barrier in this AU lies in the Ruins.

Chara was vaguely aware that at some point during their underground stay, autumn had blended into winter. There was a chill in the stagnant air, ever so slight, but all three of the children in the cozy Dreemurr home had switched to sweaters Toriel had made for them.

It felt strange, not seeing snow outside the living room windows.

Chara blew warm air into their hands to warm them as Frisk signed rapidly at Asriel about a holiday, something they had celebrated with their aunt before she moved away. (They never mentioned any of their other relatives. Chara could understand.)

“Well, I don’t know,” Asriel hummed in reply, once Frisk’s hands returned to their default fidgeting. “I think we have candles, and I know it’s too late for it now, but maybe next year we could?”

Frisk clapped their hands; Chara frowned.

“I’m going to go help Toriel,” the elder stated and stood. Asriel made eye contact with concern on his face, but broke it quickly.

“Okay, Chara. I’ll look after Frisk.”

“I don’t need anyone looking after me!”  Frisk signed in protest.

“Aw, come on, isn’t it nice to have someone looking after you?”

Frisk only crossed their arms and pouted.

“How about _you_ look after _Asriel_?” Chara chimed in with a toothy grin. Frisk swatted a hand away giggling when Chara ruffled the younger’s hair.  “He’s a real troublemaker, you know.”

“Chara…!” Asriel sounded offended.

The older human just laughed and walked into the kitchen.

-

“Come to help?” Toriel asked when they entered, and was answered by a nod.

The mother bent down and placed a peeler in their hand. She always kept the knives out of reach—she had made sure to hide them in the beginning, after the first time Chara pulled up their sleeves. They seemed happy enough now, but it had become a habit, she insisted to herself. (Better than “just in case.”)

“Why don’t you peel the roots first, dear?” the mother said softly, as she always did. And Chara glanced at the roots (they belonged to no plant they had ever seen on the surface), pulled over the stepstool that had made its home in the kitchen and set to work, as they always did.

It was a routine by now, comfortable and familiar, and that knowledge stung the child sometimes. What if something went wrong? Or—when would something go wrong? Wouldn’t disappointing them all be even worse the longer it took for things to get messed up?

It was fine for now. This routine was, well, it wasn’t personal. The two of them seemed to have established unspoken boundaries, and these times in the kitchen were usually spent discussing food and Frisk. The human didn’t want to think about how their new young friend from the surface seemed to think they would still both be here in a year.

Not right now.

Well, not _ever_ , really. But especially not while they could hear their friends’ ( _family’s_ , they didn’t want to think) laughter from the living room.

Frisk fast-walked into the kitchen not long after, palms out and fingers splayed, stimming with the air. Toriel turned to smile at them.

“Toriel!” they signed quickly. “Can we go into the city?”

“Well, I suppose you have become rather accustomed to the area by now,” she hummed with fake consideration. Frisk rocked on their heels. “Very well, my child. You and Asriel be careful, and be back by lunchtime, alright?”

“Thanks, Mom!” Frisk signed, beaming as they ran off.

_Mom._

“Oh my,” Toriel said simply. Chara couldn’t read her expression, but it seemed… flustered, and happy. So happy.  Overjoyed, maybe, but her paw covered her smile.

_Mom…_

They had to leave.

“I,” they began, and shut their mouth again.

“Yes, my child?”

“I was thinking… maybe we should go.”  
(It hurt more to say than they expected.)

“Oh.”

“Yeah. I, uh, haven’t talked to Frisk about it though.” They felt… bad, saying it. And then, because it seemed right, “I will though.”

“Well. I suppose you have been here… several weeks, after all.” Toriel was trying to be comforting. It wasn’t working.  “And you are the only humans underground. You must want to return to your own kind.”

_Not really. (Where do you think you’ll go?)_

“I… I will let you talk to Frisk about this yourself, my child. But whatever you two decide, I want you to know that you will always have a home to come back to here. Everyone here loves you very much.”

_Please, don’t say that. (Don’t lie.)_

They only nodded, and handed Toriel a peeled root.

-

The conversation with Frisk was… hard. They were happy here. They were starting to feel like family.  
(That was part of the problem.) But Frisk was too kind, too caring.

“I can’t stay here anymore. Will you come with me?” _I won’t let you get hurt. I don’t want to ruin things for you._

In the end, they had agreed to go.

-

Toriel seemed unsure of whether to fuss over the human kids or see them off respectfully. She settled for packing a backpack for them, which Chara sorted through. Clothes were left in the bag, as were various foods (carefully packed away in baggies and boxes) and a cell phone; all in all it was a very practical collection of items, save for the container of snails and book of pressed flowers. (Chara kept the flowers, but secretly placed the container back in the fridge.)

“Chara, Frisk… I’ll miss you. Stay safe out there, okay?” Asriel had said as they hugged goodbye. “And I got you this. Or uh, I got us this.”

He plucked a small box from the ground beside him and pulled out three similar necklaces, handing one to each human. Each necklace had a pendant that looked like a fraction of a heart.

“What’s it say?” Frisk signed.

“Yours says ‘friends’. When you put them all together in the right order, it’s ‘best friends forever’…” He trailed off. “I really will miss you. If the Barrier is ever broken, I’ll come find you. Best friends forever, right?”

“Promise?”

“Promise.”

Chara would only stare down at their hands.

Even after the two left, even when the violent pounding in their chest died down, even when they looked back and found that they could no longer see their home ( _temporary home, not a real home_ ), they refused to let Frisk see them cry. They had to be strong for the both of them now.


End file.
